2 Week Itinerary
 

I am traveling with a few friends to Europe in late July/ early August 2015. I traveled often when studying abroad, but have never had to plan multi-city travel in Europe. We'd like to hit at least 3 or 4 within 14-16 days. We are planning to fly into Milan and take the train to Cinque Terre, but are not sure where to go from there. Does anyone have a easy 2 week itinerary that includes Cinque Terre? Areas we'd like to travel to include: Croatia, Switzerland, Austria, the French Riviera, but we'd be willing to explore other options too if they're easy to travel to (we aren't planning on hitting all of those countries/areas, just areas of interest). I'd also like Milan/Cinque Terre to be the only spots in Italy we travel to, as I've already visited the other major cities.

Thanks in advance!

I would stay in Italy and see the Dolomites and Venice.

>>>I am traveling with a few friends<<<
>>>I'd also like Milan/Cinque Terre to be the only spots in Italy we travel to, as I've already visited the other major cities.<<<

Do your friends feel the same way? You've listed 5 countries which isn't realistic in 2 weeks. I think you need to talk with your friends and figure out what is a must see for each and then start planning.

You have a very open question here and in reality are asking others to provide an itinerary for you without real criteria on which to base a suggestion. It's called doing your OWN homework first.

As kybourbon writes, when you and your friends have figured out what is a must for all of you, then you can start asking for help. As it is, it's all too vague right now.

You'll get some people offering itineraries that THEY like. Some people are here just to write about what THEY like, regardless of whether it has any relevance to YOU or not.

Thanks for your responses. Like I said, we in no way expect to see all of the 5 countries/regions. We are shooting for 3 or 4 cities in 14-16 days. I have done plenty of my own research, and plan to continue to do my own research, but I'm simply asking for suggestions if someone else has done gone on a trip within those regions and felt that it was a successful route.

It's hard to reco without knowing your interests.

When we travel we ant to see every museum, cathedral, castle and ancient run - but I'm no hiking up anything if you pay me.

Some people love the beach (I don't tan so I avoid it), some like outdoor pursuits or a lot of nightlife.

We do mid and upscale dining and like wine but don't do late night clubs.

So - you really need to tell us more about what you want to see/do, if you will be traveling by train or car and if you want to avoid the most expensive countries - like Switz (probably twice cost of Croatia).

. Does anyone have a easy 2 week itinerary that includes Cinque Terre? Areas we'd like to travel to include: Croatia, Switzerland, Austria, the French Riviera>

OK not easy but possible:

1- Fly into Milan - stay in Milan

2- train to Cinque Terre for one day (if you're young you may be quickly bored by these small towns sadly overrun with tourists during the time you will be there (I'd consider deleting the Cinque Terre and putting more days into say the French Riviera - personally I do not think the cinque Terre in such a tourist crush is worth the hassle but...

3- Train to Nice - takes all day practically via Genoa.

4-5 Nice and area - French Riviera a k a Cote d'azur

6 - Take train back thru Milan to Venice (again all day - if you dropped the Cinque Terre you could fly into Nice - go via Milan to Venice and onto Croatia (via Trieste - about 4-5 hours from Milan I think by train.
*Flying Nice to Croatia perhaps

7, 8, 9 Croatia

Train to Austria
10. 11, 12

Train to Switzerland - go to the fantastic Jungfrau region, IMO and others the absolute highlight of Switzerland - the dreamy glacier-girdled Alpine Wonderland picture of Switzerland perhaps etched in your minds' eyes
13, 14
fly out of neaby Zurich

Now Croatia is the outlier on this trip - I would make things a lot easier and ditch Croatia so then:

You can go from Nice to Switzerland - the Jungfrau Region or Zermatt, rather similar in its awesomeness - and spend 4 days or so to appreciate all the various possibilities -

then head over to Austria - Salzburg to Vienna - fly out of Vienna.

So if you ax the Cinque Terre and Croatia you could have a nifty itinerary:

Nice-Milan
Milan - Switzerland - Jungfrau Region

Switzerland to Austria, Salzburg and Vienna

and have 3 days or so in each stop still a bit hurred.

If doing that by train check on a Eurail Select Youthpass (if under 26) valid in France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. For lots of great info on European trains in general I always spotlight these fine sites: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com (download the latter's free and excellent European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of suggested rail routes in those countries.

Thank you @PalenQ that was very helpful! We are 26 year old women, looking to see museums and all the major sites, but are also up for hiking/adventure, with a little time to relax each day and soak in the culture at various restaurants, cafes, etc... not looking to avoid any countries based on budget, but would prefer rail travel to flying, if it's more convenient.

Thanks for the thanks - I guess if you wanted to end up in Croatia you could take an overnight train there perhaps from Vienna and at least spend a few days there if you could get a good priced flight out of there - but is really an outlier with lots of travel either by air or train to get there - leave it for you next trip and make the Balkans the focus perhaps.

"I'd also like Milan/Cinque Terre to be the only spots in Italy we travel to, as I've already visited the other major cities."

Unless Italy doesn't appeal to you very much in a general way, I think you're eliminating a LOT of great options after the Cinque Terre. Also, I dislike trying to cover so much geography in a (somewhat) limited timeframe. Too many long train rides and/or airports for me.

If there are any budget issues, you might want to investigate what all that moving around will cost.

If you want to cover all your goal places a few flights would be necessary - like from Nice to Croatia and Croatia to Munich Germany or Zurich Switzerland.

You might find it easier to plan a route if you get together with your friends and talk in terms of categories of activity you want to do during the 14 days, rather than place names of where you think you want to go. If you are traveling for 14 days, how many of those days will your group want be by the sea, or how many days will your group want to spend sightseeing in towns that have great museums/architecture, or how many days hiking in the mountains or by a lake?

Andhow many hours will they want to spend on a train or take overnight trains, etc.